SWAT team finds man accused of Walmart robbery hiding in attic of northwest Huntsville home

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Police charged a man with robbing the Walmart pharmacy on Drake Avenue this afternoon after the SWAT team forcibly entered a northwest Huntsville home and found him hiding in the attic, police spokesman Harry Hobbs said.

John Patrick Dudley, 31, was charged with first-degree robbery and further charges may be added during the course of the investigation, Hobbs said.

Dudley is accused of robbing the Walmart pharmacy at 2900 Memorial Drive shortly before 3 p.m. today. Dudley handed the pharmacist a note demanding pills and money, Hobbs said. The note said he had a gun, but police don't know if he did.

The druggist handed the robber an undisclosed amount of medications and money and the man left the store at a nearby exit through the garden center, witnesses said.

Witnesses outside the garden center said the man got into what appeared to be an older model Lincoln and drove west on Drake Avenue. Police began looking for a white Lincoln with a red top, Hobbs said.

Police traced the car to Dudley and went to his home, Hobbs said. A woman relative at the home told police that she had let Dudley out of the car at a home on the 2900 block of Greenside Drive, which is west of Pulaski Drive and south of Huntsville Country Club.

Police went to the Greenside Drive home where the home's resident got out safely, but Dudley barricaded himself in the home, Hobbs said.

The department's SWAT team arrived about 5 p.m. and negotiators began talking to Dudley, Hobbs said. Police evacuated several nearby homes, he said.

Police breached the home at about 8:20 p.m. and found Dudley in the attic, Hobbs said. Dudley surrendered peacefully, he said.

Police did not find a gun on Dudley, but are still trying to determine if he had a gun, Hobbs said.

Dudley was checked out by HEMSI, but did not have to go to the hospital, Hobbs said. No one was injured in the incident, he said.